Master of Something-or-Other

I have finally completed my second year of coursework in my graduate program which means that I am (un)officially a Master of Something. Of arts, supposedly, but I just don’t quite believe that’s true. Because I’m lazy and cheap I didn’t fill out the paperwork nor pay the fee to actually receive the certificate, but if I dropped out at any point after this, I’d have the M.A. So there you go. I feel like I deserve a treat or something. I told Husband that this would do, but he ignored me.

It’s only a week (!) until my family arrives for their long-anticipated visit and during that time I need to completely rewrite a 30-page article. NBD, as my friend K and I always say. NBD. It just means that they’ll forgive me if my house is a wreck.

Also, I got my first week’s worth of veggies from my CSA! I’m really pleased. I’ve been intentionally trying to use them up before they go to waste so I’ve quite a few cucumber sandwiches (with full-fat mayonnaise and whole wheat bread? SO GOOD.) and several of these:

Really good. Making me change my tune about “not being a salad girl.” When it comes down to it, I’m not a “boring salad girl.” Seriously. After four bites of wilting lettuce and aged tomatoes covered in your nasty ranch dressing, I’m out. But this is interesting and diverse enough to keep my attention.

Not that you need it, but if you’re curious, here’s how to make a “Non-Boring Salad” for one:

Fresh lettuce, I usually tear up about 3-5 large leaves

One chopped carrot

Half an apple, chopped (I prefer Braeburn.)

Handful of seasoned garbanzo beans (I keep a container of these in the fridge for this purpose.)

1 hardboiled egg (I keep 3-4 prepared in the fridge; they are good for 1 week.)

You could add cucumbers too, but I keep ’em for my sandwiches. Sometimes I add croutons.

Then I make some dressing using some approximation of the following:

1 part olive oil

1 part balsamic vinegar

salt

freshly ground black pepper

minced garlic or garlic powder, if you’re in a hurry

dijon mustard

lemon juice

I combine all of these in one of my teensy plastic containers and shake away. Apply liberally and store any leftovers at room temperature (but only for a couple of days).

If you have creative suggestions for other things I could add, let me know! I am pretty picky-ish (no almonds, no meat, no raisins, etc.), but I’m willing to try most things once.